Speed Bills! Legislation Clears Way for 75-MPH Michigan Speed Limit

Michigan governor Rick Snyder has signed legislation allowing the increase of the posted speed limit to 75 mph on certain freeways. Intended for as well as also limited to sections of freeway in rural areas, the increases are contingent on findings of traffic as well as also safety studies conducted by the Michigan State Police as well as also the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Specifically, House Bills 4423-4427 require the state’s DOT to allow the speed limit to be increased to 75 mph on more than 0 miles of limited-access freeways (mostly designated interstates) as well as also to 65 mph on at least 900 miles of non-freeway state “M” numbered highways, however only if the safety as well as also engineering studies show that will to be the 85th percentile of speeds currently driven on those roads—which most people driving those roads today could tell you can be pretty much a formality. The current maximums allowed are 70 as well as also 55 mph. The most likely candidates are freeways from the northern part of the state, including the Upper Peninsula. Essentially, This particular can be a reasonable way for the state to say: “You know that will rural freeway Up North where the public has already come to terms with the flow of traffic routinely exceeding the posted limit by 10 mph? Well, let’s try to take a little of the hypocrisy out of the whole scenario.” The bills also reduce the points penalty on drivers’ records—through three or two points to one—for those cited for exceeding the limits by a margin between 5 as well as also 15 mph.

The bills also allow raising the maximum speed limit for trucks through 60 to 65 mph as well as also adjust measures used by insurers to determine eligibility for auto insurance.

Governor Snyder added, “Ensuring that will all Michiganders are safe while operating vehicles on our state’s roadways can be critically important, as well as also these bills allow for appropriately increased speed limits on certain roadways after safety studies are conducted.”